Membership

In 'About'

Overview

To recognise a commitment towards excellence in teaching and learning the Teaching Academy has a series of ‘recognition levels’. A hierarchical series of levels allow an individual to progress as they develop experience and expertise in teaching and learning. Such an approach also offers the opportunity to link such progression to requirements for promotion as a further means of valuing teaching and learning within the institution.

All staff involved in any aspect of teaching and enhancing student learning would automatically become members of the Teaching Academy. Postgraduates who teach can qualify to become Associate Members of the Teaching Academy. The criteria have been designed to easily align the levels of recognition in the TA with internal and external measures of expertise and leadership in teaching and learning.

Process

All academic and professional services staff with a role in teaching and/or supporting strudent learning will be automatic members of the TA and will receive ‘Education Matters’ and other alerts for activities related to the TA. Members will also be eligible to apply for/be awarded the Birmingham Education Fellowships and UoB TA Awards for Teaching Enhancement & Innovation.

Postgraduates who teach, and who have taken the appropriate modules in CLAD/LS will be able to apply to become Associate Members of the TA. We will circulate the newsletter ‘Education Matters’ and promote relevant events to help postgrads to share their experiences and good practice.

The Fellows of the Teaching Academy will be a substantial number of staff and, again, we will contact staff in the first instance. These staff could provide guidance to colleagues to attain HEA Fellowship and also be involved in peer review of staff teaching.

The criteria for Distinguished Fellow of the TA are outlined in the table and we will contact staff who fulfil these criteria to offer them this accolade. Staff who feel that they should be in this group, and who have not been contacted, please get in touch through the TA Administrator teachingacademy@contacts.bham.ac.uk.

Distinguished Fellows will become participants in a ThinkTank that will meet periodically to discuss ideas and issues that will inform the development of the TA and link to contributions to our Education Strategy. The Distinguished Fellows could provide guidance to other staff in respect of promotion and attaining higher levels of fellowship in the HEA (e.g. Principle/Senior HEA Fellowship and National Teaching Fellowships).

Benefits

Invitation to events and networking

Helping individuals to improve their teaching: sharing of good practice, access to resources, being part of a ‘community of practice’

Access to CPD

Opportunities to engage in activities at a College- and University-wide level; these could benefit applications for promotion and professional recognition

Opportunities to implement the Education strategy

Opportunities to publish educational research and case studies in 'Education in Practice'